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13 Feb 2006 : Column 1550W—continued
Climate Change Levy
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research into the effectiveness of the climate change levy his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated; and if he will make a statement. [50451]
John Healey: The Government commissioned Cambridge Econometrics to carry out an independent evaluation of the climate change levy. This evaluation, Modelling the initial effects of the climate change levy", concluded that the levy is effective and should save over 3.5 million tonnes of carbon per annum by 2010. In particular, Cambridge Econometrics concluded that the announcement effect of CCL in Budget 1999 will, in combination with the price effect, have reduced energy demand in the commerce and public sector by 14.6 per cent. by 2010.
Companies Incorporated in India
Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the value in pounds sterling to the UK economy of companies originally incorporated in India in 2004–05. [51452]
John Healey: There are no direct estimates of the value to the UK economy of companies originally incorporated in India. However, figures show that UK companies are increasingly investing in India: outward foreign direct investment to India increased by over 200 per cent. over the decade to 2004, a faster growth rate than that of total foreign direct investment abroad by UK companies. The stock of direct investment in India owned by UK companies stood at £1.7 billion in 2004.
Departmental Estate (Castle Point)
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) land and (b) property is owned by his Department in Castle Point. [42900]
John Healey: HM Treasury owns no land or property in Castle Point.
Departmental Staff
Kate Hoey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans his Department has to change the London allowance of its staff; and if he will make a statement. [50014]
John Healey: The Treasury pays a London Allowance of £2,000 p.a. to staff at SCS Payband 1 and has no plans to review or change this level of allowance.
Euro Transactions
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of UK companies that accept payment in euros for transactions in the UK. [50854]
13 Feb 2006 : Column 1551W
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government have not made any assessment of euro-based transactions in the UK. Information on the use of the euro in the City of London and UK's external trade was published in Box 6.1 on Page 29 in the Report on Euro Preparations, December 2004", available in the House of Commons Library.
It is entirely a commercial decision for UK business to determine whether or not they wish to accept the euro or any other foreign currency. The Government published updated fact sheets The euro: its your business", in June 2005 to provide information for UK business that wish to do so. These are available to download or order free of charge from the Treasury's euro website www.euro.gov.uk.
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether (a) salaries and (b) emoluments paid by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development are exempt from UK income tax by virtue of being subject to the Bank's own internal tax. [50291]
Dawn Primarolo: Article 14 of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Immunities and Privileges) Order 1991 provides:
(1) As from the date on which an internal effective tax for the benefit of the Bank on the salaries and emoluments paid to him by the Bank is applied, any Director, Alternate, Officer and Employee of the Bank shall enjoy exemption from income tax in respect of such salaries and emoluments, provided that nothing in this paragraph shall be interpreted as precluding such salaries and emoluments from being taken into account for the purpose of assessing the amount of taxation to be applied to income from other sources.
An internal effective tax system for this purpose was introduced by the Bank on 28 March 1991.
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2006, Official Report, columns 1492–93W, on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), whether there has been a change in the rights of employees and retirees of the EBRD to dispose of their lump sum benefit as they see fit. [50292]
Dawn Primarolo: The position remains as set out in my earlier answer. The EBRD provides a lump sum which is intended for individuals to make investments to provide income in retirement. The form of these investments is for individuals to determine.
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2006, Official Report, columns 1492–3W, on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), whether employees of the EBRD who do not choose to buy an annuity or other taxable investment will receive the enhancement to their lump sum originally granted for the purpose of paying income tax; and by what (a) formula and (b) amount benefit deriving from the EBRD pension fund was increased for the purpose of paying income tax. [50293]
13 Feb 2006 : Column 1552W
Dawn Primarolo: The EBRD provides a lump sum which is intended for individuals to make investments to provide income in retirement. The lump sum is calculated on the same basis for all staff.
My earlier answer set out in full the rationale behind the changes to the level of lump sum payment. As I made clear, contributions to the EBRD's pension funds were increased in 1992 not for the payment of income tax, but to ensure consistency with comparable organisations.
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanisms are in place to ensure that employees and retirees of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development pay income tax if they choose not to make a taxable investment with their lump sum benefit and if additional shareholder funds have been added to that lump sum for the purpose of paying income tax; and who is responsible for overseeing these mechanisms. [50290]
Dawn Primarolo: I advised the hon. Gentleman in my written answer of 19 January, Official Report, columns 1492–93W, that the EBRD provides a lump sum which is intended for individuals to make investments to provide income in retirement. The form of these investments is for individuals to determine. My earlier answer of the 20 December 2005, Official Report, column 2797W, stated that retirement income arising from the investment is liable to income tax in the normal way.
Fair Trade
Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's policy is on the procurement of fair trade produce for consumption on its premises. [49961]
John Healey: The Treasury's catering contractor is encouraged to offer fair trade products for sale to staff. Fair trade coffee is served at all official meetings, and fair trade tea is also available.
Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much and what proportion of his Department's catering budget was spent on fair trade produce in the last period for which figures are available. [49964]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Treasury's catering contractor does not separately identify the cost of fair trade produce within its charges to the Treasury. They reviewed orders for the week ending 3 February. Total orders for the week were £8,604, of which £3,915 (45 per cent.) consisted of fair trade produce.
Manufacturing Jobs (Beverley and Holderness)
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Beverley and Holderness were employed in manufacturing in each year between 1992 and 1997. [51519]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 13 February 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about manufacturing. (51519)
The attached table shows estimates of the number of people resident in the Beverley and Holderness constituency employed in manufacturing for the 12 month periods ending February 1995 to February 1998 from the annual local area Labour Force Survey. Comparable figures for earlier years are not available.
These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution.
| 12 months ending | Numbers (thousands) |
|---|---|
| February 1995 | 6 |
| February 1996 | 7 |
| February 1997 | 9 |
| February 1998 | 11 |
Notes:
1. Estimates are subject to sampling variability.
2. Changes from year to year should be treated with particular caution.
Source:
Annual local area Labour Force Survey.
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